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Hi! I'm Kiersten, a thirty-something from Maine who accomplished my major life goal of running a marathon on all seven continents. Now I'm onto my next big project- being a Mom! Join me as I run, bike, swim, eat, and laugh my way through life.

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What's Next?

The plan was to wait a little while after our wedding to take a honeymoon. We really want to go to New Zealand, both because it looks amazing and so I can run a marathon there as a part of my 7 continent quest.

Once the wedding was over, I started to look at races. The most appealing race to me was the Auckland Marathon, which is November 2nd.

The wheels in my head started turning. Could I be ready for a marathon by November 2nd?

I made a tentative training plan and went out for a trial 10 miler on Sunday. Physically, I was fine. I made it through the run. But mentally, my head was just not in the game. Time just seemed to crawl and all I wanted was to be done. It made me come to an important realization.

I don't want to run a marathon this fall. In fact, I'm feeling like I don't ever want to run a full marathon again.

I tried to motivate myself by saying that I have already done 5 continents. I only have 2 left. Just 2 more marathons and I will have achieved my goal.

Except, it isn't "just a marathon." It is months of training followed by a very difficult race.

I don't know if I can face the post race misery again

I don't feel like I have it in me. I've done 6 marathons in the last 6 years and I have trained for them all alone. The novelty of the long run has worn off and they just feel like drudgery. I am tired of running with myself. After devoting my summer to the wedding, I'm not ready to devote my fall to a marathon. I want to be able to have a life. I don't want to go to bed early on Friday and then spend the rest of the weekend exhausted. I don't want to have to skip my favorite boot camp classes in favor of running.

I also have some old injuries that have recently flared up. I am keeping them under control, but I don't want to push it by marathon training. My body simply doesn't like the marathon distance. I don't want to have that constant feeling of fatigue.

I am so close to my goal, but still so far. I just can't face the idea of 2 more training periods and races.

Why am I forcing myself to do this if it isn't fun anymore?

Maybe it would get better with time, but I don't want to wait. We want to start a family in the next couple year and I know that it will make it infinitely harder both to train and to be able to travel to races.So what now?

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Comments

Kiersten, six marathons in the last six years. WOW, that is awesome. There is nothing wrong with taking a complete break from the schedule you have yourself on for running and training. Listen to your heart and go with it. You have accomplished so much, now you can enjoy the new journey you are embarking on. Running will always be a part of your life, I have no doubt. :)

Perhaps, now that the wedding is behind you, you and Rory are beginning a new kind of marathon? No sprints, you're in it for the long haul! And running a marathon is such a solitary activity, maybe a different kind of marathon? e.g., the New Bedford Whaling Museum's reading of Moby Dick Marathon! a dance marathon for a good cause? pick 26 miles of the Appalachian trail, or a New Zealand hike and do it together... Perhaps your goal just needs a little tweaking to make it fun for two!

I hope you will come to my wonderful city, Auckland is a beautiful place. I've only run one marathon before (Rotorua), but I'm looking forward to running the marathon here in Auckland on November 2. I just wish it wasn't such an early start - 6am, ick!!!

Let it go would be my advice. Your body and mind are screaming at you to cut back. Would it be worth it to do it if it means digging yourself into a big injury or overtraining hole? Probably not Running will always be there, as will that particular marathon--just not this year. Good luck with it!